In a recent article I described how tempting and lucrative it can be for entrepreneurs to "steal" a business concept, whether it is producing promotional videos for executives and professionals, opening photography studios, or grilling billions and billions of burgers.

"Creative imitation," a term coined by management guru and my late professor, Peter F. Drucker, isn't exactly theft, even if it seems to be the opposite of originality. It is simply a way of making good better, say those who do this sort of reverse Robin Hood commercial activity.

But how do those that perform creative imitation rationalize it in such a way that it becomes socially acceptable?

I came across an example of this recently in the New York Times fashion section.

Introducing a slideshow of a designer's wares, the Times characterized the entrepreneur this way:
"Seema Anand's firm, Simonia Fashions, makes clothes inspired by other designers."

That's a fairly cool way to say I'm knocking off your fashions. I'm "inspired by them." This taps into the "imitation is flattery" notion, I suppose.

Filmmakers often say they've "done an homage" or a "tribute" to another auteur whose work they have brazenly copied.

In fact, that word "tribute" is getting more play all the time, literally, as in the subtitles of the Beatles tribute bands that are making dough around the world, presumably without paying royalties to the originals, or to whomever owns the Lennon-McCartney songbook along with Michael Jackson.

Speaking of Peter Drucker, since his passing at the ripe age of 95, various authors have emerged claiming to have captured his essence. Yet more fortune seekers form their consulting practices around his precepts.

They call themselves by various names, including "disciples," which I believe the grand master, ever aware of the purity of his "brand," would have chuckled at, to say the least.

Smiling is probably all a proponent of creative imitation could do when witnessing how his own concepts are being creatively imitated. That's what makes this entrepreneurial gambit both successful and puckish.

You can openly steal, get away with it, prosper, and justify it various ways.

It may be the only thing that beats having your cake and eating it too.

Someone else went to the effort of baking it.

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